Monday, January 30, 2012

Munsell to RGB conversion tables

The Munsell Soil Color Space is a commonly used perception-based colour system with many applications in soil and earth sciences, geographic information systems (GIS) and even painting and interior design. 
After finding myself frustratingly trawling the internet for an easily accessible table of Munsell system colours and their RGB (red, green, blue) conversion values, I set about putting up a copy of all those I have converted myself for other keen soil scientists and house renovators to make full use of. 


This list is by no means complete: please let me know if there's a particular colour on the list whose value you are desperately after, and I'll see what I can do! 


Currently listed Munsell colors: 10YR, 7.5YR and plenty more to come!



10YR 7.5YR
Munsell R G B Munsell R G B
10YR 1/1 40 32 26 7.5YR 1/1 41 32 27
10YR 1/2 44 31 17 7.5YR 1/2 46 30 20
10YR 1/4 4 3 3 7.5YR 1/3 51 28 10
10YR 2.5/1 69 61 55 7.5YR 2.5/1 70 61 55
10YR 2.5/2 73 60 47 7.5YR 2.5/2 75 59 48
10YR 2.5/3 77 59 38 7.5YR 2.5/3 80 58 41
10YR 2.5/4 81 58 29 7.5YR 2.5/4 84 57 33
10YR 2/1 58 51 45 7.5YR 2/1 59 51 46
10YR 2/2 62 50 38 7.5YR 2/2 64 49 39
10YR 2/3 66 49 30 7.5YR 2/3 68 48 32
10YR 2/4 69 48 20 7.5YR 2/4 72 47 24
10YR 3.5/3 102 81 57 7.5YR 2/6 79 44 0
10YR 3/1 80 72 65 7.5YR 3/1 81 72 66
10YR 3/2 85 71 56 7.5YR 3/2 87 70 58
10YR 3/3 89 70 48 7.5YR 3/3 92 69 50
10YR 3/3 91 69.5 43.5 7.5YR 3/4 96 67 42
10YR 3/4 93 69 39 7.5YR 3/6 103 65 24
10YR 3/5 96 68 30 7.5YR 3/8 109 62 0
10YR 3/6 99 67 16 7.5YR 4/1 105 95 88
10YR 3/7 101 66.5 8 7.5YR 4/10 142 83 0
10YR 3/8 103 66 0 7.5YR 4/2 112 93 79
10YR 4/1 104 96 87 7.5YR 4/3 118 92 70
10YR 4/10 134 87 0 7.5YR 4/4 123 90 61
10YR 4/2 110 94 76 7.5YR 4/6 131 88 44
10YR 4/3 115 93 67 7.5YR 4/8 137 85 21
10YR 4/4 119 92 57 7.5YR 5/10 172 107 4
10YR 4/5 123 91 48 7.5YR 5/12 176 106 0
10YR 4/6 126 90 37 7.5YR 5/14 179 104 0
10YR 4/8 131 89 0 7.5YR 5/2 136 118 104
10YR 5/1 129 120 111 7.5YR 5/4 149 115 85
10YR 5/10 164 112 0 7.5YR 5/6 159 112 65
10YR 5/12 167 111 0 7.5YR 5/8 167 109 43
10YR 5/2 134 119 101 7.5YR 6/10 203 132 41
10YR 5/4 145 117 80 7.5YR 6/12 208 130 0
10YR 5/6 154 115 57 7.5YR 6/14 212 129 0
10YR 5/8 160 113 32 7.5YR 6/16 215 127 0
10YR 6/10 194 137 24 7.5YR 6/2 163 144 128
10YR 6/12 198 135 0 7.5YR 6/4 175 141 109
10YR 6/14 201 134 0 7.5YR 6/6 186 138 88
10YR 6/2 161 145 125 7.5YR 6/8 195 135 67
10YR 6/4 171 143 104 7.5YR 7/10 232 159 67
10YR 6/6 181 141 81 7.5YR 7/12 239 156 34
10YR 6/8 188 139 57 7.5YR 7/14 244 154 0
10YR 7/10 223 163 54 7.5YR 7/16 248 153 0
10YR 7/12 229 161 0 7.5YR 7/2 189 170 153
10YR 7/14 233 160 0 7.5YR 7/4 203 167 133
10YR 7/16 235 159 0 7.5YR 7/6 214 164 112
10YR 7/2 187 171 150 7.5YR 7/8 224 161 91
10YR 7/4 198 169 127 7.5YR 8/10 255 185 90
10YR 7/6 208 167 104 7.5YR 8/12 255 183 62
10YR 7/8 216 165 81 7.5YR 8/14 255 180 10
10YR 8/10 253 190 78 7.5YR 8/16 255 178 0
10YR 8/12 255 188 45 7.5YR 8/2 216 197 179
10YR 8/14 255 187 0 7.5YR 8/4 230 194 157
10YR 8/16 255 185 0 7.5YR 8/6 243 191 136
10YR 8/2 214 198 175 7.5YR 8/8 254 188 113
10YR 8/4 226 196 152 7.5YR 9/10 255 213 111
10YR 8/6 236 194 129 7.5YR 9/2 245 225 204
10YR 8/8 245 192 104 7.5YR 9/4 255 222 180
10YR 9/10 255 218 98 7.5YR 9/6 255 219 158
10YR 9/12 255 216 72 7.5YR 9/8 255 216 134
10YR 9/14 255 215 31
10YR 9/2 242 226 200
10YR 9/4 255 224 174
10YR 9/6 255 222 150
10YR 9/8 255 220 125
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34 comments:

  1. Kathy's Art BlogMarch 2, 2012 at 1:00 PM

    Robbi:Wow! Finally someone who can provide the RGB for Munsell. I would love to see more of the range from 5R to 10YR and especially eager to have the values for 5YR. I am an oil painter that is focusing on flesh tones, which just happen to be the colour of dirt :)This is amazing. Thanks so much. I am wondering if I can create the colour strings I need in Photoshop and print them out for reference. Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David BriggsMarch 3, 2012 at 4:41 PM

      The difficulty with any blanket conversion is that it can only be an approximation because RGB values do not specify device-independent colours. For example R000 G000 B255 is distinctly purplish blue on my desktop monitor, but not at all purplish on my laptop. This has nothing to do with lack of calibration; it is simply that the "blue" phosphors used in the two are different colours. A purplish blue gives a bigger gamut at the cost of energy efficiency, which is given higher priority in the manufacture of most laptops than in desktop monitors.

      With that proviso, though, Zsolt Kovacs' free program rs2color can be used as a colour calculator for conversion between Munsell, RGB and Lab (Windows only, XP to 7).

      http://www.ing.unibs.it/~zkovacs/color/rs2color/rs2colorE.html

      It's always a shock to be roaming the www for pages of interest, and then seeing that they come from someone just down the road (I'm in Clovelly!).

      David Briggs

      Delete
    2. Jive DadsonSeptember 21, 2012 at 4:11 AM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Jive DadsonSeptember 22, 2012 at 8:58 PM

      David, it sounds as if one of your computers does not have the proper ICC profile for its monitor. Jpegs, pngs, and so forth are made to a precisely defined perceptual spec called sRGB. In other words, sRGB pixels define how things should LOOK, not raw voltages to send to the monitor. It is up to the computer or the monitor to translate intent to signal levels.

      However, there are approximations involved in converting from Munsell to sRGB. That is because the only Rosetta Stone available to the masses is the "renotation" data-set which was collected in the 30's under a weird and obsolete illuminant called "C". One must do chromatic adaptation. I have written software to do it. Undoubtedly Macbeth has excellent data, but they are very stingy with it. They do publish the sRGB numbers for their Color Checker cards. My program agrees with those numbers to within the limits of perception.

      Delete
  2. Kathy's Art BlogMarch 15, 2012 at 6:04 AM

    Thanks for the link. I expect that I will just try and work with someone who knows more about this than me. I've already learned a lot about printers and their individual idiosyncracies--more than I ever wanted to know! I can now see why Munsell charges so much for their books. Looking forward to any more work you do in the YR family. It helps when I'm in photoshop as I can make my own chips to add to the palette. Very cool.
    Clovelly, England(?)is not near me. I live closer to Toronto but have friends near London England and my dad originally came from Lancashire. Have been across the pond a couple of times and always enjoy learning more about it. Good luck with your research.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David BriggsMarch 15, 2012 at 6:43 AM

      Sorry, I hit the wrong reply button. I'm in the next suburb to Robbi, not you!

      Delete
  3. UnknownMay 22, 2012 at 9:21 PM

    This is a very nice idea for a blog. I am morbidly obsessed with Holbein Acryla Gouache. The Munsell values are listed on the tube, and I would love to be able to enter them into Adobe Illustrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jive DadsonSeptember 22, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    I can send you a chart for every color in the big Munsell book that is within the sRGB gamut, and more, but I will need an email address or something. I cannot figure out how to contact you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NickOctober 7, 2012 at 1:19 PM

      Hello, I'm very much in need of a Munsell / RGB chart. Would you send me one? My email is nickdwaters at gmail dot com

      Thank you very much

      Delete
    2. UnknownNovember 6, 2012 at 8:24 AM

      Jive,

      Would also send me the list at thompson_todd at att dot net

      Thanks.

      Delete
    3. RufemiMay 14, 2013 at 4:39 AM

      Jive,

      Would you send me a list for Munsell N6, N7.5 and 10R4-15. My email is rufus@safetysmart.co.ke

      Delete
    4. Robbi BTJune 16, 2013 at 10:38 PM

      Hi Jive,

      My email is robbibt (at) gmail dot com. Those values would be fantastic!

      Delete
    5. Dan RaymondJuly 14, 2013 at 10:19 PM

      May I also have these please if still available:

      nebula60 at gmail dot com

      thanks

      Delete
    6. UnknownJuly 25, 2013 at 1:51 AM

      if you pleased, would you send to my mail to at robert dot aria at live dot com

      Thanks alot

      Delete
    7. UnknownAugust 12, 2013 at 9:32 AM

      Hi, Could I also have a copy please? my email is: byrneb at gmail dot com

      Thank you

      Delete
    8. mfhJune 15, 2015 at 12:21 AM

      Hi, may I have a copy as well. My email mfikree.hassan at gmail dot com. Thank you.

      Delete
  5. UnknownDecember 7, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    Robbi, Did you ever get the complete list from Mr. Dadson? Todd

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 4:52 AM

    Try Blue Gray to blue green.. I wish to discuss compensation.
    rockdoc2010 at gmail

    ReplyDelete
  7. OpinionatorApril 3, 2013 at 4:54 AM

    I'm actually trying to get conversions between HSL and Munsell, but since the RGB to HSL conversions are well documented, RGB-Munsell correspondences are almost as good. Your conversion chart is not quite identical to what I've found elsewhere where I can compare them; you give Munsell 10 YR 5/8 as R160 G113 B32 while another gives the same Munsell color as R165 G111 B32, rather redder. I'm wondering how to get to the bottom of this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. nicolasMay 17, 2013 at 4:08 PM

    This is awesome! Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. MarkJuly 15, 2013 at 11:32 AM

    I would greatly appreciate a copy of the Munsell/RGB chart. My email is uffindell@hotmail.com. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownOctober 16, 2013 at 5:43 AM

    Can I get a complete list as well? veronica.zaikina@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownApril 29, 2014 at 4:43 PM

    Hello, I realize it's been six months since the last post but I would love to have the complete chart... doing soil profiles for archaeology. My email is maritimearcheology@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. tormented angelMay 10, 2014 at 10:27 AM

    Hi there, I also would like to take a look to the final version of the chart for my ongoing research on soil profiles for forestry. My e-mail is gunozturna at gmail dot com
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownJuly 28, 2014 at 3:55 AM

    Can anyone give any link for all munsell colors with their respective rgb and spectrum values

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownJanuary 25, 2015 at 3:17 PM

    Please, I would like to receive the complete table of Munsell to RGB. I'm doing a catalog and can not find .
    I only yours, but lacks the table 2.5 and 5 .
    My email is larasara97@hotmail.com or saralara97@gmail.com
    Thank you .

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownMay 1, 2015 at 3:35 AM

    Please, Can I get a complete list? My email is ChristianFlorhentyno@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. mfhJune 16, 2015 at 12:39 AM

    Hi, may I have a copy as well. My email mfikree.hassan at gmail dot com. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. CodingFiendJune 25, 2015 at 2:17 PM

    hi, can I please have the list also, email is magicmouse94937 at gmail dot com. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. UnknownSeptember 23, 2015 at 6:20 AM

    Hello,

    Could you please send me this very useful list at the following address: loic.harrault@abdn.ac.uk

    Thank you

    Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  19. annySeptember 23, 2015 at 10:45 PM

    Hi, May I have a copy same. E-mail address : 89hj kim at gmail dot com Please, Thank you so much :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. runningnoviceNovember 19, 2015 at 12:10 PM

    If you are still doing this........ I would much appreciate the Munsell to RGB list.

    My email is hollis@eveinc dot consulting

    ReplyDelete
  21. UnknownJanuary 11, 2016 at 11:42 PM

    For all those looking for a link, here is a published pdf that should help...

    http://www.munsellcolourscienceforpainters.com/ConversionsBetweenMunsellAndsRGBsystems.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  22. UnknownNovember 15, 2016 at 11:13 PM

    Wow Fantastic. Great work mate. it help many people who desperately need a munsell soil color. terima kasih atas usahanya.

    ReplyDelete

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